The Rescue
by adriadewinter
Summary: Mulan and Aurora travel to collect the last item they need to save Phillip. All the while not revealing their true feelings until one of them makes the ultimate sacrifice.


**Author's Note:** So this is just a little something different I came up with while I was running. I've seen similar things before, so the idea is not new and definitely not mine. As unfortunately are the characters—not mine, never will be, but if they were… ;)

Please let me know what you think about it! :)

She is tossing in her sleep—I see a drowsy smile on her face as she dreams and she seems to be saying something. What is it, I wonder. I nearly move closer when I realize I haven't been watching our surroundings for the last few minutes, and I snap my head around looking at the forest surrounding us. She might never let me keep watch again if she knew I "watched" her the whole time. That's not what friends do is it?

I hear a murmur—she sounds sad, and I almost jump to wake her, but moments later she smiles again, and I sit back down. Perhaps if I told her now I would feel better, but I know that can't be true. I wish she could be what I want but I know that could never be. After all, we are on a search for Phillip aren't we?

The moon is rising now, and I can see every curve, every line on her face as she sleeps. Oh no, I'm watching her again. How am I going to continue like this? I only wish we were in a safe place so we could sleep side by side and I could listen to her breathing. The short inhale and softly whistling exhale as she breathes. When Snow and Emma left, I never thought I would miss them like this, but at least when they were on guard we could spend a few hours side by side, and now… Oh how I wish she weren't in love with Phillip.

&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%

We are back on the road again and as I walk behind her, I can't help but watch her as she moves. So graceful, but there is power hidden within. From the very day that we met, I saw the silent grace hidden in every motion, every swaying step. I wonder sometimes if she looks at me like this. Does she savor each chance to watch me move? Does she hold her breath when I smile? Does her heart stop every time we touch and think as I do that those times are far too few? I wonder if she knows that I deliberately ask for her help sometimes, just so she has to move closer. Or that I gravitate towards her when she sits just so I can maybe help her up? I hope not. After all I remember, she loves Phillip, and can't ever be mine.

I hope we find the cave soon, although the sooner we find it, the sooner we obtain the potion to bring his body back to life. Somehow, I'll have to convince her to use it to restore him; the witch said it only worked if used by the person's true love, and that is definitely no longer me. Inside the cave—so they say—is the well with the water of life, but it's guarded by a pair of eternal soldiers who need every drop of life-giving water for themselves.

She shouts—I see she has found the cave. No time for qualms now, we will need all of our focus to avoid the warriors within. We sneak into the cave and glance around, silently searching for the guards that await us. She raises her hand to our left and I see them both sleeping there; I motion with my arm in a circle, indicating we should circle around them, and we tiptoe forward. Water is constantly dripping from the stalagmites above us, and it pools in murky puddles at our feet. We sidestep each puddle—who knows how deep they are—and despite the gravity of our position, I almost giggle when a drop hits her on the face. She shakes her head violently with such a look of disgust on like I've never seen before. I think it's cute, but we don't have time, and even if we did…

We've almost completely circumvented the guards now, and I can see the fountain. I signal her to pass me the flask, and I watch her hand rummage at her side for a few moments—her hands are so delicate yet supple and strong…FOCUS—she tosses me the bottle and I dip it into the fountain behind them. I'm so close to them that I can smell their hair—these warriors seriously need a wash, and their hair is tangled and twisted so badly I pity the person who tries to comb it. As I pull my arm back, I wonder if rats or bats maybe nest there in the twisted pockets.

After I fasten the flask to my waist , we begin our tortuous journey back towards the entrance of the cavern shortly. The puddles have gotten bigger now, and we have to jump one of them on our way to the exit. She goes first and makes it, slipping slightly as she lands. Reaching her hand towards me, she nods and I take it as I jump across as well. Were my heart not already pounding with fear, it would race with the simple touch of her hand. Even with her help, my foot slips in the dark and I make a slight splash. The guards' breathing speeds up and she pulls me close as we stand stock still—motionless.

I save this moment in my mind—memorizing everything I can feel: her back, her sides, the swift beating of her heart, her slow, nearly silent breathing. Despite the darkness I examine her face using the close proximity we now share, and I notice the confusion on her face as we both realize just how long we've been standing there. She steps away and my body screams at me to bring her hands back, but I can't. She loves Phillip, I remember as I follow her towards the door.

We are almost to the cave entrance, and my heart has finally begun to slow down when the unthinkable happens. A bat wakens from its sleep, and it swoops down on us screeching; the guards wake up instantly. They shout as they see us and one of them raises his bow; I sigh. Only five more paces and we would have made it, I think as we run, but if this is how it must be…

I step in front of the arrow, pushing her forwards and shielding her as we escape. I feel the shaft strike me as we stagger out of the cave—right above my heart, and as I fall, I look down and see the tip protruding from my chest. We collapse outside and I reciprocate her shock and fear as she notices the arrow. She asks if I am going to be okay, and I nod, knowing as I do so that I will not have much time. We decide to pull the arrow through, and she holds my hand as we break both ends off—almost worth being shot, I think.

Then she pulls the arrow through, and I grit my teeth against the pain. A tear slips past my tightly closed eyes, and when I open them I think I see one in hers, but that cannot be. Why should she cry? We wrap the wound as well as we can—she wants me to rest, but I know that I have only a few days at most. I insist that I will be fine and that we press onwards. With hesitation, she agrees, and we begin our journey back to Phillip.

&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%

It's been two days since we got the potion, and I haven't let her see my wound since. In the nights when I stand guard, I change it and the infection that I knew would set in has already begun to spread. I conserve my strength as much as I can, and even now when I have a legitimate reason to ask for her assistance I cannot. She must not see my weakness now else she turn back or slow our pace, and I must reach Phillip for her. The castle is in sight—only a few more hours now.

Once we've reached the bier, my strength gives out, and I fall to the ground. Too early, I think to myself. She rushes to my side—questions and concern in her eyes. I pull the flask from my side and press it into her hands, motioning to Phillip's body as I do so. Tears begin to fall from her eyes for real this time and she shakes her head. "You _have_ to do this." I tell her. "You are the one who truly loves him; it has to be you. Don't worry about me. Trust me, it's better this way." She continues shaking her head as I talk, but I feel my eyes shutting and the darkness overtaking me.

I hear her sobs and cries as my eyes close for the first time. I take her hand and try to soothe her, opening my eyes and taking her hand. She looks at me and I try to tell her with a smile that it will be all-right. She seems to understand and smiles for me as she wipes her tears away. I ask her to tell me a story—anything, and I close my eyes, welcoming the darkness now. If I can't ever have her in life, this is the best death I could foresee; the pain is nearly gone, and as I fade from consciousness all I hear is her voice. All I feel are her hands as she squeezes mine and wipes away the sweat beading on my brow. All I see is her face in my mind's eye—smiling as she did in Rumplestiltskin's prison. I feel myself smile for the last time as I fade away.

Silence. No pain. No fear. Only the silence. I open my eyes and see the light. I feel warm and I look down at my shoulder—no wound. I realize that I have died and am alone here—she is still there with Phillip—when I feel a pain in my side. And then my head, my hands, my heart—the darkness is returning. I close my eyes as pain courses through me and I give in to the darkness again.

Her face is all I can see when I open my eyes, and I look down at my chest again—the wound is still gone. But there are tears in her eyes, and her arms are embracing me—rocking me back and forth as she laughs when I realize that I'm alive. I look up at her and we smile together as we laugh. I'm alive! "I love you," I whisper in her ear as she leans forward once more, and she kisses me softly as she brushes my hair away from my face.

She squeezes my hand reassuringly and helps me to my feet. We both look down at Phillip and the empty flask by our feet. She shakes her head sadly and we walk hand in hand away from his body. When we reach the edge of the castle, she looks at me and says the first words I've heard since I died.

"I know"

_FIN._


End file.
